Overnight news.

Schools To Hold Safety Meetings

June 08, 1999|By Walter Gottesman.

In the wake of the Littleton, Colo., school shootings and other recent incidents of school violence, Maine Township High School District 207 is inviting students, parents, school board members and staff to two special meetings next week to talk about safety.

The meetings have been scheduled for 6:30 p.m. June 16 at Maine West High School, 1755 S. Wolf Rd., Des Plaines, and 6:30 p.m. June 17 at Maine South High School, 1111 S. Dee Rd., Park Ridge.

Supt. C. Steven Snider told the school board Monday night that ideas for improved school safety, such as a police liaison officer in each school and an anonymous school violence tip line, grew out of recent discussions with Des Plaines and Park Ridge police chiefs and district parents and administrators.

Each of Maine's three high schools--Maine West, Maine South and Maine East in Park Ridge--will have two tip lines. The telephone numbers are to be announced by the start of summer school on Monday.

Snider also presented the board with a report on school safety in which he argued against installing metal detectors and hallway security cameras.

Metal detectors "seem to increase fear and alter a school's culture without significantly reducing risk," while with cameras, "the sense of being spied upon could become part of our school environment," Snider wrote in his report.

The school board approved a revised 1999-2000 discipline procedures handbook. The procedures now prohibit the use or possession of laser pointers at school and school-related activities.